Imagine finding the perfect piece of real estate and proceeding with the purchase only to find thousands of dollars in debt attached to it. All of the following may attach to your property and become yours to pay.
Code Violations
Common Code Violations are for weeds, debris, and other issues. These fees accrue quickly if left alone, because they want people to deal with the problems promptly.
In some cases, the county or city may hire workers to correct the problem if the owner remains non-compliant. The charges for these services will be associated with the property.
Special Assessments
Special Assessments are levied to a property that has benefited from a public project in the area. Most commonly they are road improvements to water connections, and the charges don’t always appear in the ad valorem taxes on a property.
Homeowner’s Association (HOA) Liens
Unpaid HOA Liens attach to the property despite a change in ownership. These liens have the potential to lead to losing the home in a foreclosure auction.
Sometimes, one property may have multiple associations governing it. This is often the case in communities that have subdivisions and extensive amenities. To protect a homeowner from an HOA foreclosure auction or paying fees related to the previous owner’s activity, a title agent will order an estoppel letter for each HOA.
Mechanic’s Lien:
Also known as a materialman’s lien or a contractor’s lien, a mechanic’s lien results from an unpaid contractor or subcontractor.
Contractors are considered secured creditors and therefore have a legal interest in your property, making this a specific lien. If the property is going to be sold, the seller is expected to pay the debts before that occurs. This type of lien could be placed on a property before or after closing, depending on when the contractor comes to collect
Municipal Inspections
When a municipality conducts any inspection of your property, say the fire department for code compliance, the bill is tied to the property itself, making these specific liens.
If the current owner does not pay a bill, the claim can be made by the service or inspection provider for a lien to be placed. Again, when the lien will appear in the public record really depends on the timeline of when they submit the claim of debts owed.
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